zil's Profile
Author's Posts
June 26, 2009
Installing Doors
Can anyone tell me how hard it is to install door jambs, and if there is a good tutorial anywhere? The home improvement book only explains how to install pre-hung doors.
I have reasonably good woodworking skills, but if this is something better left to a professional, is there a rule of thumb for calculating the rough framing, based on the size of the door you are going to install? I would like to at least get the rough framing done.
May 27, 2009
LG Front Loading Dryer for sale
We have a stacking LG dryer that we bought along with the washer when we moved into our house 3 years ago, because my husband didn't think that line-drying clothes was practical. However, I have proved him wrong, and we only ended up using the dryer about 6 times.
So it is basically brand new, and we'd like to sell it and make a bit more space in the house. We paid around $600 new, and are looking for $300 for it (O.B.O.) The dimensions are 27"W x 39"H x 29 5/8"D. As we never really used it I don't have that much to say about its perfomance, but we do use the LG washer all time (baby in cloth diapers) and it has been absolutely fantastic.
The model # is DLE2514W
Please email elizdoughty at gmail.com if interested.
March 26, 2009
Where to put the kitchen?
I have read many versions of this conundrum while reading Brownstoner over the last couple of years. Here is my version. I would be grateful for insight from people who have done something similar as to whether or not this is an unworkable idea.
Basically the issue is this: We have a 16 ft wide 4 story brownstone which is currently configured as a triplex and a garden floor rental. The kitchens right now are one in the back room of the rental - about 16' x 11' with garden access, and one on at the back of the parlour floor for the main house.
The location of the parlour floor kitchen basically manages to take up the entire back of the house - the only really decent sized room that we have - while leaving it underutilized and without enough counter space. Originally we were going to move this kitchen to a better location/layout on the parlour floor and keep the rental as a rental. However, long story short the DOB has slapped a rider on all 'significant work' requiring us to replace our water main and probably sewer as part of the job, and we can't afford to do this and do the renovation we had planned.
My current thinking is (since the rental won't bring in much income in the neighbourhood we are in, and I am too tired to add being a landlord to my other obligations) to make the garden floor kitchen our main kitchen - replace fixtures and add more counter space but without moving any plumbing, and make the parlour floor a big living space where my 2 year old can run around. The bedrooms are on the top 2 floors of the house, so I was thinking of leaving a kitchenette in place on the parlour floor, hidden behind doors along with a wall of storage for all our other stuff, that could be used for snacks and breakfast, while the main meals could be prepared downstairs.
The pros are that we could have a much better kitchen, and potentially eat in the garden during the summer, we gain living space upstairs, and we would keep enough of the utilities in place that it could be converted back to a 2 family if need be. The cons are that the only dining space we would have would be in the kitchen itself, and I'm afraid that it might just be too far out of the way and we would end up snacking upstairs and never cooking downstairs.
Anyone done anything similar? Did it work, or did you find it annoying? BTW, I am not a 'kitchen is the heart of the home and the place where everyone hangs out' type of person - I actually would prefer to burn my fingers and swear somewhere more out of the way, but I'm afraid that getting people down there for mealtimes might be a challenge.
Anyway, aplogies for such a long post, and thanks for any advice anyone could give me!
August 21, 2008
Use for old windows?
We are replacing six windows in our house that were installed wrong, and are causing leaks. I am trying to avoid putting stuff in the landfill, and was wondering if anyone knew of any alternatives for them? They are old vinyl windows, and I know Build It Green won't take them. I'm not even sure if they could be used as windows again, but thought maybe there might be some other use for them, such as making cold-frames for the garden.
If anyone has any ideas I'd love to hear them.
Author's Comments
There probably are some at around that figure in the Greenville area - although I know some owners still seem to believe the market is going up (wierd?) and are trying to sell wrecks for silly money. Having said that, I'm seeing more and more commuter types getting off at the Martin Luther King and Garfield Ave stops on the HBLR. There are some really lovely brick houses near Arlington Park and the Library Lofts conversion, and some nice houses scattered around. It's kind of like Bed Stuy - it varies block to block - but we have been on ours 3+ yrs (1 block from MLK stop) and had no trouble and really nice neighbours. 6 blocks to the south is a different story. Look around. Use your common sense, walk around in daylight, and look at houses near the train.
Posted by: zil at July 2, 2009 7:49 PM in response to Jersey CITY Brownstones
I looked at Waterlox and it seemed to make things very orangey. Try Osmo's Polyx Oil. It is a wax/oil finish, and the company have super-clean product labels. You can get a sample tin for about $5 or so - just google it. I used it on my floors and am really happy with the results, but I don't see why you couldn't use it on your mouldings.
BTW, what was your experience using Peelaway vs the silent paint stripper? I have to strip the baseboard down our stairs, and have been wondering if the silent paint stripper is the best way to go, so the stairwell doesn't get all fumey?
Posted by: zil at July 1, 2009 12:29 PM in response to What to Apply after Stripping?
Thanks everyone for your help - way better than my book!
Posted by: zil at June 26, 2009 7:54 PM in response to Installing Doors
I have one that is 27 5/8" x 95 1/4" (4 panel). Probably not a close enough fit, but if it would work for you, you are welcome to it.
Posted by: zil at June 26, 2009 3:34 PM in response to Looking for interior door
Hi there, I'm interested in these can you send contact information to elizdoughty AT gmail.com so I can coordinate pickup.
Posted by: zil at April 27, 2009 11:26 AM in response to 10 Interior Brownstone Doors
I'm curious to hear peoples' thoughts on this as I have been thinking about something along the 'encased in glass' lines. The only thing I wonder is a) do you think it would be claustrophobic if you were actually taking a bath, and b) if the enclosure is rectangular and the bath curved, would you still have to waterproof/drain the area under the tub?
I also saw a clawfoot on Living Etc that just had glass screens at either end, but I don't see how that wouldn't result in water everywhere.
Posted by: zil at April 23, 2009 7:36 PM in response to Tiling in a clawfoot bathtub
I just emailed my husband about your post - his work colleague is looking for a cat. Could you email your contact info, and a picture to me at elizdoughty at gmail.com and I will pass on that info as well?
Posted by: zil at April 1, 2009 12:59 PM in response to Beautiful kitty needs good home
If you are looking at modern kitchens with in-house designers, have you looked at Henry Built? They have a showroom on Grand and Wooster? or somewhere right around there - I may be off by a block or two either north-south or east-west - but they have very modern, streamlined, eco-friendly kitchens, and they do all the design work with an architect-trained in house designer. Might be worth checking them out...
Posted by: zil at March 29, 2009 1:48 PM in response to Anyone use "Urban Homes"?
Thanks for all the input, and I'm really glad to hear that quite a few of you think it would be workable. And just to be clear, I was really thinking of just replacing the current parlour level sink with a smaller one ($70 from Ikea?) and keeping a microwave and undercounter fridge, just so that we could have tea and coffee, heat up some oatmeal, and make the yoghurt smoothies that we have every morning.
Cornetor - I do think it would be a bit of a pain having 2 sets of supplies, but I was only thinking tea, coffee, cereal and maybe milk for the upstairs, so milk would be the only perishable. We keep champagne in every room in the house :-)
Cmu - I agree about living small, and that was why we originally wanted to keep the two spaces separate, but it is configured so badly it is unlivable, and as I mentioned, the DOB requirements have made it too expensive to move things. We could only get about $800-900 in rent for the apartment, and we'd have to do a fair bit of repair work before anyone could move in - so I'm afraid at that rent it would take forever to even pay for the work we had done, let alone leave a cushion for repairs. The house is 40 ft back from the street. We had to replace the water main when it burst and it was 12K. The sewer is deeper and at the back of the house with no access to get any kind of machinery through so we were looking at another 15-30K for that, so yes it was a lot more money.
Posted by: zil at March 26, 2009 11:37 AM in response to Where to put the kitchen?
Hi,
I would also recommend Farrow & Ball. I'm working with their colours on two projects at the moment, and am very happy with them. They have more depth of pigment, and more subtlety than the BM paints, and although as mopar says, the colours are more limited I think they work very well in Victorian homes.
If you are interested I would love to work with you on this project. If you would like to send me your contact details - to elizdoughty (at) gmail.com I would be happy to discuss it with you further.
Good luck!
Posted by: zil at October 15, 2008 5:44 PM in response to Paint color scheme help
We installed Runtal radiators this summer, and turned them on for the first time last night. We replaced fin-type baseboard heaters. Initially we weren't going to do them all, but it turned out that although they work as a direct replacement, you can't run both on the same system - something to do with one being more tolerant of air in the pipes than the other.
When we turned them on last night they got hot really fast. Denton, I was interested to read your comment, as I was thinking last night that maybe we should turn our boiler down. Does anyone have any idea what temperature it should be set to?
Posted by: zil at October 7, 2008 7:50 PM in response to Runtal Radiators
We also used Osmo - both their stains and the polyx oil. I love the finish, and it has been pretty easy to apply so far - (I did the stain myself, and will do the polyx oil in the next few weeks). I also have a young baby, and I did a lot of research before choosing the Osmo stuff.
Posted by: zil at August 10, 2008 4:55 PM in response to Non-Toxic, Low VOC Floor Finish Recommendations Needed
Responses to Author's Forum Comments
zil..it probably had a floor drain on a pitched floor beneath the tub...that is new construction, not retrofit...
Posted by: eman1234 at April 23, 2009 8:31 PM in response to Tiling in a clawfoot bathtub
The book "Bungalow Bathrooms" might have more information. She doesn't give how-to, but more history and pictures. I think maybe what you want is a "tile in tub" which is different from a clawfoot. You could buy a salvage one cheaply.
Posted by: mopar at April 23, 2009 11:10 PM in response to Tiling in a clawfoot bathtub
i too have been thinking about enclosing my tub. i love the idea of glass panels, however i can't figure out how they would be secured to the edge of the tub as it is rounded. wouldn't it need to be a flat surface?
Posted by: noplacelikehome at April 25, 2009 10:39 AM in response to Tiling in a clawfoot bathtub
also interested. please list all the size and e-mail me the list at stevenwilliams55@aol.com
Posted by: stevenwilliams55 at April 27, 2009 2:25 PM in response to 10 Interior Brownstone Doors
interested. What sizes are left? I can pick up.
Posted by: Brooklyn Butterfly at April 27, 2009 9:58 PM in response to 10 Interior Brownstone Doors
Thanks all... this has been claimed...
Posted by: fkdecker3 at April 28, 2009 10:07 AM in response to 10 Interior Brownstone Doors
+2" width, +1" height
Posted by: southslope at June 26, 2009 7:58 PM in response to Installing Doors
Thanks Zil, unfortunately that's not wide enough--it's a bathroom door so we're looking for full coverage.
Dave, thanks for taking a look, I'll check back Monday to see what you found.
Posted by: ralph gardens at June 26, 2009 8:33 PM in response to Looking for interior door
I'll measure it tonight when I get home.
Posted by: daveinbedstuy at June 29, 2009 9:07 AM in response to Looking for interior door
Zil, I am interested in your door. Can I give you a call about? Or you give me a call about? 9174060024. Thanks
Posted by: favor at June 29, 2009 5:05 PM in response to Looking for interior door
I have a reasonable number of small scrap 2x4 pieces at this point. You are welcome to them if you would like them. However, you should know that we are in Jersey City - I don't know how far you are willing to travel for them! If you want them just let me know what your email address is and I will email you to coordinate. (I would have posted earlier, but it's been a long day of making more scrap 2x4 pieces..)
Posted by: zil at September 5, 2009 8:46 PM in response to scrap wood